Can I get a marriage certificate months before the ceremony?

Question

I was wondering if we could get the marriage certificate in advance and then get married 3/6 months later? Also if you have the license or certificate whatever you wanna call it. Does that mean you are legally married or does the ceremony make it legal?

Answer 1

It depends on where one live.

In Oklahoma it's 10 days

Seven States it's 30 days(

14 states it's 60 days

six states 90 days

7 states 6 moths

4 states an year

5 states and DC an marriage licenses does not expire.

Then there are states that have strange amount like 25 or 65 days.



So google marriage law in the country or state you want to get married.

See how long on last.



You get an license than after the ceremony, you get an marriage certificate.



So state where you want to get married, someone could look up the information or google it.

Nobody can tell you without knowing where

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

The certificate and the license are two different things.



The license is your permit from the state to marry. It does not mean that you are married once you apply for it. It means that you have legal permission to marry.



You need to apply for the license in advance of your wedding - at the VERY least, a week or two in advance. Applying at least a month or two out would be wise, especially if either of you has been married prior to this. They need time to process the paperwork ... many states take at least three business days (weekdays, not weekends or holidays) from the application date to issue you a marriage license. Vegas is one of the rare exceptions where you can get it the same day you plan to marry.



You need to pick up the license before the wedding day, so that your officiant and witnesses can sign it once the ceremony is over.



You need to ask the clerk when you should pick it up. Validity varies by state. In my state, you need to use it within six months (I forget if that countdown starts on the date you apply, the date they process it, or the date you pick it up). We applied about two months out and picked it up a couple weeks prior to the wedding. We needed our photo IDs, a witness age 18+, and a cash fee in order to apply for the license.



The certificate is what you receive after you're married - it is legal proof that you are legally married. You only get that after your wedding. The officiant and your witness sign your license once the ceremony is over, the officiant mails it to the proper authorities, they process it, and then they will send you a certified copy of your marriage certificate. This is what you use as legal proof that you're married, and if you want to change your last name then this is the document you need.

Answer 4

No, a license doesnt make you married. A certificate is the only legal document that does. You first get a license ( like a oetmit to marry) then perform a legal ceremony by a egistered officiant, them the officiant signs the license aftet the ceremony and registers it in the court house that exoedited the license. After that you will be isdues a Certificate which is the only document that makes you married.

Answer 5

The Certificate of Marriage is a document you receive after submitting proof ( completed marriage license) to your city/county that you were indeed married by a legally recognized marriage officiant. It usually comes via mail.



You can not get a document stating you are legally married until AFTER you are legally married. You are not legally married until you stand before the marriage officiant , with witnesses 18 years or older,and the officiant declares you married...then all ( the couple, officiant and witnesses sign the license). The ceremony's date and other pertinent info is also filled out by the officiant. The marriage will not be recognized until the completed license is submitted and it goes on record in the city/county where it took place. There is a limited time frame, usually within 30 days of the ceremony, that the city/county must receive the completed license.



The marriage license ( document giving permission to marry by the city/county where you plan to marry) does not make you married...and it must be where you plan to marry) you apply for either at the county clerk's office, or town hall/court house. It varies from county to county. Once applied for and approved you have a limited amount of time to use it, usually within 30-60 days. After it expires, you must re-apply. The time frame when it must be used varies from county to county.



Okay?

Answer 6

no, the marriage certificate can only be gotten by purchasing it from the clerk of court's office at the county courthouse and it will not be available until about 2 to 6 weeks after the wedding.



the wedding ceremony is what makes the marriage legal. applying for a marriage license only gives you legal permission to get married and means nothing until the wedding officiant has filled it out and returned it to the courthouse AFTER the marriage ceremony, and the courthouse registers the marriage. then it is legal.



so, you need to have a marriage license in order to GET married and then a marriage certificate to prove you ARE married. the commemorative one they give you when you have your marriage ceremony is not the legal copy. the legal copy must have the state seal embossed into the paper.

Answer 7

of course you cant

the certificate is the legal document given upon getting married

the ceremony makes it legal, as you say your vows with a witness THEN you get your certificate

Answer 8

No. the certificate describes what has actually happened not what might happen in the future.